@bennett-family, ooh! Budget photography! One of my favorite subjects…
@ernestf-lloyd has the idea there. What she wants to photograph will make a HUGE influence on what she’ll be wanting to purchase.
If it’s her paintings, I know my mom uses her smartphone instead of my (technically her?) Canon 60D, which used to be about a $1000 DSLR. So she might be able to use that if her smartphone has a decent camera, and you can get apps that will give you control over the manual settings. If all she is shooting is paintings and she doesn’t need the bokeh really only a real camera can truly provide (though the smartphones are getting better…), stick with the one she has. If she’s looking to print her paintings like for cards and stationary, send it to a professional scanning company. It will likely be better than taking a photo.
That said, if she wants a DSLR, she’s just starting out, and she’s on a budget, you can’t really go wrong with going used. All the beautiful landscape photos you have on your calendar were shot on last year’s cameras. Contrary to what advertisers will have us believe, you don’t need the latest gear to take the greatest photos (just ask Ansel Adams). Also, you don’t need new gear to take good photos either, and you can save a lot by going used from a reputable source.
For example, you can get a Canon Rebel T3i (I’d say it’s a good starter camera though I’ve never use it myself… it was released in 2012, so right alongside my 60D which actually uses the exact same sensor) off of KEH.com in excellent condition for just under $200. The Rebel T6 is even less expensive (though I think it has less features), coming in at about $125-150 and I think has the advantage of being released more recently (so you might get better noise control?). That leaves about an additional $100-175 for lenses. Again, what she wants depends on what she’s shooting. If she doesn’t know, you can get the most recent Canon 18-55 used in excellent condition for about $60 (or older versions for cheaper). Throw in a the Canon 55-250 for a telephoto, and that might put us a little over budget, but there! You just built a kit for less than $300.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend going this route though, because a lot of DSLR starter packs brand new are really attractively priced. For example, a brand-new Canon Rebel T6 with a 18-55 is at Walmart right now for $330. There also appears to be a new Rebel version I’ve never even heard of called the T100 with an 18-55 going for $299.
So. My recommendation is to buy a brand-new DSLR kit as they are often a very good value, but check used. You might be able to get a better bang for your buck.
Used recommendations:
KEH.com
Adorama.com
BHphotovideo.com
hope this helps!
—Logan
@loganlamar